TECTONICS, VOL. 22, NO. 6, 1074, doi:10.

1029/2002TC001486, 2003

Architecture of the Focsani Depression: A 13 km deep basin in the

Carpathians bend zone (Romania)
M. Tarapoanca,1,2 G. Bertotti,3 L. Matenco,2,4 C. Dinu,4 and S. A. P. L. Cloetingh3
Received 4 December 2002; revised 16 July 2003; accepted 20 August 2003; published 11 December 2003.

[1] In front of the SE Carpathians Bend a very deep

basin (Focsani Depression) developed in Miocene to
Recent times. An important part of its subsidence
occurred after the main stages of thrusting in the
Carpathians. Apparently, the basin lies in the wrong
place and evolved in the wrong time. In this study,
we constrain its architecture and evolution by
analyzing a large database consisting of more than
1000 km two-dimensional seismic lines and more
than 60 wells. Around 13 km thick, Badenian-toQuaternary (<16.5 Myr) sediments were deposited in
the central part of the Focsani Depression. During the
Badenian (16.513 Myr), the foreland (south of Trotus
fault) underwent NE-SW directed extension and NW
trending basins opened in the eastern Moesian
platform. A NW-SE oriented area of subsidence
stretched from the Transylvania basin through the
Focsani Depression to the SE of the Moesian platform
while thrusting was going on in the East European/
Scythian platform, East Carpathians, and Getic
Depression. Starting with the Sarmatian (1310 Myr),
the Focsani Depression depocenter moved out of the
Carpathian belt coeval with the exhumation of the
south and the East Carpathians north of the Trotus
fault. The basin became wider and was tilted toward the
belt. Tilting was accompanied by dextral shearing
mainly along the Intramoesian and Peceneaga-Camena
faults. After Sarmatian times, subsidence occurred
practically only SSE of Trotus fault. During MeotianPontian (10 5 Myr), subsidence slowed down.
Stronger, Pliocene-Quaternary subsidence is coeval
with normal faulting and shearing in Moesian platform.
The western margin of the Focsani Depression was
then tilted eastward, coeval with the exhumation of
the bend zone and opening of the intramontane basins
INDEX TERMS: 8105
in the inner part of the belt.
Tectonophysics: Continental margins and sedimentary basins

S.C. Prospectiuni S.A., Bucharest, Romania.

Also at Netherlands Research Centre for Integrated Solid Earth
Science, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
3
Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam,
Netherlands.
4
Faculty of Geology and Geophysics, Bucharest University, Bucharest,
Romania.
2

Copyright 2003 by the American Geophysical Union.

0278-7407/03/2002TC001486$12.00

(1212); 0905 Exploration Geophysics: Continental structures

(8109, 8110); 9335 Information Related to Geographic Region:
Europe; 9604 Information Related to Geologic Time: Cenozoic;
KEYWORDS: Carpathians foredeep, Focsani Depression, basin
subsidence, extension, shearing, tilting. Citation: Tarapoanca,
M., G. Bertotti, L. Matenco, C. Dinu, and S. A. P. L. Cloetingh,
Architecture of the Focsani Depression: A 13 km deep basin in the
Carpathians bend zone (Romania), Tectonics, 22(6), 1074,
doi:10.1029/2002TC001486, 2003.

1. Introduction
[2] Foredeep basins develop on both sides of orogens
mainly as a consequence of thrust loading. Timing and
magnitude of subsidence in these basins should therefore
directly relate to shortening kinematics in the orogen itself.
After the cessation of convergence, the orogen and the
foredeep might be uplifted as a consequence of isostatic
rebound. Detailed analyses show that these text book
models are sometimes different from real world basins. The
SE Carpathians bend zone is one of such zones.
[3] The Carpathian Bend Zone is the area where the
NNW-SSE trending East Carpathians meet the E-W striking
South Carpathians (Figure 1a) [e.g., Roure et al., 1993].
The Carpathians are associated with a >10 km thick
foredeep basin, particularly well developed in the frontal
part of the bend zone. This basin is known as the Focsani
Depression [e.g., Dicea, 1995], and formed during and,
more interestingly, following the main contractional stages
(i.e., Miocene to Quaternary times). The special interest of
the Carpathians bend zone and Focsani Depression is
related to the fact that the area is site of the youngest
deformations in the Carpathians domain [e.g., Sandulescu,
1984]. In addition, the region is contiguous with one of the
largest seismogenic zone of Europe, the Vrancea area, with
a cluster of seismicity distributed between 40 and 200 km
depths [e.g., Oncescu, 1984]. The internal geometry of the
Focsani Depression and its relationship with the Tertiary
regional evolution are poorly constrained so far, only the
base Tertiary map being available in the area [e.g., Matenco
et al., 2003]. To understand the unusual thickness of the
basin fill, the large postthrusting subsidence and the relationship with the Vrancea seismogenic zone, a detailed
three-dimensional (3-D) basin geometry and structural
evolution is required.
[4] Interpretations of the Carpathians foredeep (including
Focsani Depression) [Sandulescu, 1984; Sandulescu and
Visarion, 1988; Radulescu, 1988; Royden, 1993; Dicea,
1995] did not pay much attention to the quantitative
evolution of the basin. The anomalous character of subsi-

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Figure 1. (continued)
dence became clear in eighties the when flexural modeling
studies [Royden and Karner, 1984; Royden, 1988] demonstrated that the present-day topographic load could not
explain the very large thickness of the foredeep and hidden
loads, possibly associated with an oceanic slab remnant,
were required. Models requiring this slab remnant [Royden,
1988, 1993; Linzer, 1996; Wortel and Spakman, 2000]
suggest that the East Carpathians evolution is dominated
by an eastward rollback of the subducting plate.
[5] Various ideas have been proposed to explain the
anomalous timing of subsidence in the Focsani Depression
and in particular, its essentially posttectonic character. The
currently most popular theory envisages a progressive
detachment of the hanging slab [Wortel and Spakman,
2000; Gvirztman, 2002]. Accordingly, slab detachment
would have occurred in Badenian in the West Carpathians,
migrated southward and reached the bend zone in the

Quaternary [Wortel and Spakman, 2000]. The intense intermediate mantle seismicity between 70 and 200 km depth
[e.g., Oncescu, 1984] would be the testimony of the sinking
slab [Wortel and Spakman, 2000]. A pattern of laterally
migrating foredeep depocenters based on stratigraphic
columns has been proposed to support these ideas
[Meulenkamp et al., 1996], but these are not confirmed by
more recent studies that incorporated a large well database
covering the Carpathians foreland [Matenco et al., 2003].
Other authors have pointed to the anomalous timing of
subsidence in the Focsani Depression and ascribed it to
deep-seated phase changes [Artyushkov et al., 1996].
[6] One of the peculiarities of the area is that the
Carpathian bend zone and the adjacent western sectors of
the Focsani Depression have experienced recent exhumation associated with the erosion of a rock column of >4 km
since 5 Myr [Sanders et al., 1999]. Shallow marine and

Figure 1. (opposite) (a) Tectonic map of the Carpathians region and the location of the studied area (partly compiled after
Matenco and Bertotti [2000]). FD represents the approximate location of the Focsani Depression. (b) Studied area. The thin
lines represent the seismic survey used. The thick lines represent the foreland structural pattern this paper is referring to
(bold names for major faults). The location of seismic lines presented in this paper is shown in very thick labeled lines. The
numbered dots are pseudowells where the total subsidence curves are shown in Figure 5. AF, Adjud fault; IMF,
Intramoesian fault; OSF, Ostrov-Sinoe fault; PCF, Peceneaga-Camena fault; SFF, south Focsani fault; TF, Trotus fault.
(c) Topography, crustal thicknesses (modified from Radulescu et al. [1976]), earthquake hypocenters distribution (black
dots) [after Oncescu, 1984; Oncescu et al., 1998] and position of Focsani Depression (the basin and Pliocene base horizons
from this study). Location of the cross section is shown in the inset representing the topography of the Carpathians/
Panonnian region.

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Figure 2. Geological timescale used in this paper [after

Matenco, 1997].

propagating shortening continued during Sarmatian times

leading to emplacement of those nappes onto the most
external one (Subcarpathian). In addition, the Subcarpathian
nappe was thrust over the foreland.
[10] The next deformation stage (latest Sarmatian-early
Meotian) was characterized by a strike-slip regime with
NNE-SSW to N-S compression direction. North of the
Trotus fault, strike-slip deformation was accommodated
by E-W sinistral faults whereas NW-SE dextral faults
formed in the southwesternmost East Carpathians. In
between, the bend zone advanced toward ESE by roughly
40 50 km [Matenco and Bertotti, 2000]. Strong exhumation took place in the northern East Carpathians since late
Badenian-early Sarmatian (13 11 Myr) when >5 km of
rocks have been eroded [Sanders et al., 1999].
[11] In the bend zone, Pliocene-Pleistocene NNW-SSE
directed shortening induced small-scale, less than 15 km,
out-of-sequence thrusting [Matenco and Bertotti, 2000].
Exhumation in the bend zone began 5 6 Ma and is
thus is younger than in the north [Sanders et al., 1999].
Exhumation was associated with eastward tilting of the
most internal parts of the foredeep and with the development of substantial morphology as documented by the
presence of marine to brackish sediments at elevations of
several hundred meters above sea level [Dumitrescu et al.,
1970].
2.2. Carpathians Foreland and Foredeep

brackish beds of the Focsani Depression steeply dip to the

east [Dumitrescu et al., 1970] and form at present elevations
up to 1000 m.
[7] The purpose of this study is to provide new data on
the internal architecture and history of the Focsani Depression. As long as the detailed foredeep architecture and
development of the Focsani Depression have not been
established, the link among Carpathians deformations,
Focsani Depression subsidence and Vrancea seismicity
cannot be constrained. We discuss then the subsidence
evolution in Focsani Depression and the bend zone foreland. Subsequently, observations made in the Focsani
Depression are correlated with deformations taking place
at the scale of the Carpathian belt.

2. Tectonic Setting
2.1. Main East Carpathians Deformations
[8] The evolution of the Carpathians arcuate belt (Figure 1a)
[e.g., Sandulescu, 1984, 1988] started with Triassic-Early
Cretaceous extension followed by Middle CretaceousPleistocene contraction. The contraction period is usually
subdivided into Cretaceous deformations (Dacides) affecting the basement and the innermost thin-skinned nappes
and the Neogene stage (Moldavides), producing the external
thin-skinned nappes (timescale in Figure 2).
[9] The Focsani Depression is bounded to the west by the
southern part of the East Carpathians. Here, Moldavides
deformations started with late Burdigalian-Badenian E-W
shortening affecting the Tarcau and Marginal Folds nappes
(Figure 1b) [Matenco and Bertotti, 2000]. Further foreland

[12] The Carpathian foreland is composed of an assemblage of three basement blocks, known as platforms in the
East European literature, overlain by a slightly deformed
sedimentary cover [Sa ndulescu, 1984; Ionesi, 1994]
(Figure 1a): From north to south, the East European,
Scythian and Moesian platforms. To the northeast, the
Moesian platform is separated from the North Dobrogea
orogen (known as the North Dobrogea promontory west of
the Danube) by the NW-SE trending Peceneaga-Camena
fault (Figures 1a and 1b). Deep seismic profiles across this
fault reveal a thinning of the crust from 46 47 km in the
NE to 30 31 km in the SW [Radulescu et al., 1976;
Radulescu, 1988]. The boundary between North Dobrogea
promontory and Scythian platform is generally associated
with the Trotus fault, but their structural relations are not yet
clearly established. The Scythian platform is separated from
the East European craton by the Bistrita fault. The latter
is characterized by a 170 200 km thick lithosphere and a
35 40 km thick crust [e.g., Nemcok et al., 1998].
[13] Foreland sediments are organized in four major
cycles the last of which represents the Carpathians foredeep
basin fill [e.g., Ionesi, 1994]. The basin presents significant
variations in thickness and width moving from one basement block to the other. The greatest depth of the foredeep
(around 13 km, filled with Badenian to Quaternary deposits)
is recorded in the Focsani Depression developed on top of
the NE part of the Moesian platform (Figures 1a and 1b).
The early sedimentation in the Carpathians foredeep is
formed by Badenian evaporites, clastics, tuffs, and limestones. Sarmatian deposits consist of various siliciclastics
rocks and locally limestones. Post-Sarmatian sedimentary

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ical body containing the earthquakes hypocenters and surrounded by low velocity zones. Horizontal sections across
this body have two different elongations: NE-SW at depths
up to 120 130 km and N-S at larger depths.

3. Focsani Depression
3.1. Database
[15] We have used over 1000 km of 2-D seismic lines
(Figure 1b) to establish the 3-D geometry of the SE
Carpathians Bend foreland and its Neogene-to-Quaternary
tectonic evolution. Seismic lines were acquired and processed by Prospectiuni S.A. Romania and their interpretation was correlated with more than 60 wells to date seismic
horizons and derive information on seismic velocities. Five
seismic horizons were interpreted and mapped: Tertiary
Base, Top Badenian, Top Sarmatian, Top Meotian and
Top Pontian. Each time-structural map of the horizons has
been depth converted using average velocity maps instead
of interval velocities. This approach is appropriate because
not all sequences cover the entire studied region and
because of the large dimensions of the area (>20,000 km2).
Finally, isopach maps have been obtained by extracting
the depth-structural map of each sequence base from the
map of its top.
[16] The western limit of the maps produced corresponds
to the Pliocene-Pleistocene Casin-Bisoca reverse fault,
which is conventionally taken as the western border of the
Focsani Depression. However, layers in the vicinity of and
to the west of the fault are tilted toward the east and partly
eroded. This not only makes it difficult to provide accurate
thickness estimates, but also leaves open the question of the
original western termination of the basin. Geometries at the
eastern margin of the Focsani Depression are well constrained because of the shallower basin floor and the
existence of numerous industry wells.
Figure 3. Structural map of the base Tertiary. The reference
datum is 100 m above sea level. AF, Adjud fault; IMF,
Intramoesian fault; OSF, Ostrov-Sinoe fault; PCF, PeceneagaCamena fault; SFF, south Focsani fault; TF, Trotus fault.
See color version of this figure at back of this issue.

sequences are represented by siliciclastic rocks, which are

mainly pelitic-siltitic during the Pontian and become subsequently progressively coarser grained [e.g., Paraschiv,
1979; Ionesi, 1994].
2.3. Carpathians Bend Seismicity (Vrancea Region)
[14] The epicenters of Vrancea earthquakes are clustered
in a surface area of 30 km  70 km and describe a nearly
vertical column [e.g., Oncescu, 1984; Oncescu et al., 1998]
(Figure 1c). Most focal mechanisms show NW-SE or NESW oriented contraction, but some strike-slip and even
normal fault solutions have been derived as well [e.g.,
Enescu and Enescu, 2000]. Preliminary results of the recent
tomography studies [e.g., Sperner et al., 1999; CALIXTO
99 Research Group, 1999] reveal a high velocity subvert-

3.2. Present-Day Geometry of the Bend Zone Foreland

and Structural Relations With the Carpathians
[17] The overall shape of the Focsani Depression is
shown in Figure 3. The largest sediments thickness of
roughly 13 km is reached in a NW-SE oriented area slightly
to the north of the bend zone. Thickness of the Focsani
Depression infill gradually decreases both toward the ENE
and to the SSE. This gradual trend is locally interrupted by
faults. The western continuation of the Depression is
deformed and partly buried under the Carpathians thrusts
and thus more difficult to constrain.
[18] Toward the north, sediments of the Focsani Depression decrease in thickness across the WNW-ESE trending
Trotus fault. Despite the observed thinning of >2 km,
sediments continue also to the north of the Trotus fault,
which, therefore, does not form the boundary of the
basin. In contrast to the published maps of this area [e.g.,
Sandulescu, 1984; Sandulescu and Visarion, 1988], our
interpretation shows the Trotus fault ends toward the east
and its position lies 25 30 km more northward than
previously considered.

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basins are observed in the eastern sectors (Figure 3) and will

be described in more detail below. The western portions of
the southern border are affected by the Intramoesian fault
which displays a vertical offset of >1 km in the NW
decreasing toward the foreland.
[21] The western border of Focsani Depression is conventionally identified with the Pliocene-Pleistocene CasinBisoca reverse fault [e.g., Dicea, 1995]. However, the issue
of the western continuation of the Focsani Depression is
largely unconstrained mainly because Sarmatian, Meotian
and Pontian deposits of the western parts of the Depression
are steep to subvertical [Dumitrescu et al., 1970].
[22] The contact between the Carpathians thrust belt and
the foredeep is variable along strike. North of the Trotus
River and west of the Intramoesian fault (Figure 1b) the
Subcarpathian nappe is clearly thrust over the foreland [e.g.,
Dicea, 1995; Matenco, 1997]. Between Trotus and Buzau
rivers (Figure 1b), the front of the Subcarpathian nappe is
buried beneath the deposits younger than middle Sarmatian.
The contact between the nappe frontal zone and the upper
Sarmatian deposits is considered either stratigraphic [e.g.,
Sandulescu, 1984] or as a backthrust [Matenco and Bertotti,
2000]. Between Buzau valley and Intramoesian fault
(Figure 1b) the Subcarpathian nappe is interpreted as being
sealed by the upper Sarmatian deposits [e.g., Matenco, 1997].

4. Basin Architecture, Active Structures,

and Basin Evolution
4.1. Badenian (16.5 13 Myr)

Figure 4. (continued)
[19] The transition from the Focsani Depression to its east
and NE margin (i.e., North Dobrogea promontory) is
affected by a NW-SE trending fault system stretching south
of the Trotus fault (Figure 3). To the south of the south
Focsani fault, the North Dobrogea promontory is uplifted
1 km or more relative to the Moesian platform along the
Peceneaga-Camena fault. On the whole, the ENE margin of
the Focsani Depression has a distinct NNW-SSE trend,
parallel to one of Europes most important regional tectonic
features, the Tornquist-Teisseyre Zone (Trans-European
Suture Zone).
[20] The southern margin of the Focsani Depression is
more gradual than the eastern one. N-S to NW-SE trending

4.1.1. Thickness and Subsidence Patterns

[23] The Badenian marks the onset of subsidence in the
Focsani Depression. The general pattern is one of increasing
thicknesses and subsidence toward the west. Isopachs have
a distinct NNW-SSE trend in the east and NE-SW in the
south. Very high thicknesses up to >4 km and subsidence
rates of >1 km/Myr are recorded in the western part of the
investigated area.
[24] Although with much lower thicknesses, Badenian
sediments are also found on the East European platform.
Their presence demonstrates that subsidence affected vast
areas, inclusive of large parts of the strong and competent
East European platform. Badenian deposits are 0.2 0.4 km
thick north of Trotus fault and 0.5 0.6 km in front of the
thrust system bounded by the Adjud fault (Figure 4a). To
the ENE of Focsani Depression (toward the North Dobrogea
promontory) thickness decreases rapidly to values as small
as 0.1 0.2 km. Subsidence rates are correspondingly very
low and are typically 10 times lower than in the central
domains (Figure 5). Farther eastward the Badenian sequence pinches out.

Figure 4. (opposite) Isopach maps for (a) Badenian, (b) Sarmatian, (c) Meotian, and (d) Pontian. No decompaction
correction is used. Note that the scale of color coding is different in Figures 4a 4d. (e) Top Pontian structural map. The
reference datum is 100 m above sea level. The map also represents an estimation of the thickness of Dacian-Quaternary
sequence. AF Adjud fault; IMF Intramoesian fault; OSF Ostrov-Sinoe fault; PCF Peceneaga-Camena fault; SFF south
Focsani fault; TF Trotus fault. For all maps, the highlighted structures are those active at the specified time interval (in
Figure 4e the faults have been active after Pontian). See color version of this figure at back of this issue.

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Figure 5. Total subsidence curves. For location, see

Figure 1. Since the sediment deposition produced in
generally in a shallow water basin, the paleobathimetry
has been taken as 0 m. No decompaction has been
performed because detailed lithological maps are not yet
available.

[25] To the SE of Focsani Depression, fault-bounded

basins control the distribution of Badenian deposits. Thicknesses range between 1.2 and 2.5 km in the northern faultbounded basins and gradually decrease southeastward
(Figure 4a). Some of the rift shoulders of these basins were
emerged during Badenian. Subsidence curves from these
domains are shown in Figure 5 (curve 7). Toward the SW,
Badenian sediments are roughly 0.1 0.2 km near the Intramoesian fault and pinch out to the south (Figure 4a).
4.1.2. Active Structures
[26] The most apparent structures active during Badenian
times are N-S to NW trending normal faults detected mainly
in the SE termination of the Depression (Figure 4a). These
faults are steep, often SW dipping and define N-S and NWSE trending grabens and half grabens. A narrow and deep
graben marks the transition from N-S trending basins in the
west to those trending NW-SE (Figure 4a). Their width and
depth decrease toward SE. Extensional faulting propagated
from NW to SE as the Badenian synrift sequence becomes
younger in the same direction (M. Tarapoanca et al.,
Neogene kinematics of the northeastern sector of the Moesian platform (Romania), submitted to AAPG Bulletin,
2003, hereinafter referred to as Tarapoanca et al., submitted
manuscript, 2003). The basins are bounded by ENE-to-east
trending transfer faults (Figure 4a). During middle-late
Badenian, inversion started in the westernmost extensional

basin and lasted until the beginning of Sarmatian when an

erosional unconformity of regional extent developed.
[27] A possible prolongation of these normal faults
toward the NW can be demonstrated only for the eastern
parts of the Focsani Depression where Badenian sediments
are quite shallow. NW-SE trending, mainly SW dipping
normal faults follow, for instance, the margin of the depression north of the Buzau River. Offsets are in the range of
tens to a few hundreds of meters (e.g., Figure 4a). Areas to
the NE of the normal faults were part of their footwall and
partly were emerged during the Badenian (note the narrow
NW trending area with no sediments in Figure 4a).
[28] In the East European/Scythian foreland a NW-SE
trending thrust fault system formed coeval with the Badenian foreland extension and with the contraction recorded
within the orogenic wedge (Figures 4a and 6). The system is
made up of three thrust faults, the longest one having a
curved shape (Figure 4a). The dip of the faults increases
progressively to the NW where the offset decreases. Piggyback and flexure-associated basins developed (Figure 6)
related to thrusting. The thrust fault system is bounded to
the south by the Adjud fault (interpreted as sinistral strikeslip fault), which extends beyond the eastern border of
studied area (Figure 4a).
4.1.3. Basin Tectonics
[29] The overall Badenian subsidence pattern reflects a
systematic increase in accommodation space and thus sediment thickness toward the west. Unfortunately, seismic data
do not image very clearly Badenian sediments in the deeper
parts of the Focsani Depression and it is, therefore, difficult to
be more specific about how the westward thickening occurs.
[30] Active structures are observed in the marginal parts of
the basin and mainly consist of NNW-SSE trending normal
faults found in the SE corner of the Depression and along its
NE margin. The first group of faults defines several extensional basins (e.g., Figure 7) and accommodates significant
horizontal extension in the order of 10 20 km. How much of
the observed subsidence can be ascribed to the associated
NE-SW directed extension needs to be tested quantitatively.
Faults along the NE margin are quite apparent but the vertical
offset is in the order of hundreds of meters, and there is no
doubt that these faults cannot explain the bulk of the
observed subsidence. This is compatible with the observation that this fault system leaves the Focsani Depression and
enters the North Dobrogea foreland moving toward the SE.
4.2. Sarmatian (13 10 Myr)
4.2.1. Thickness and Subsidence Patterns
[31] Sarmatian sediments are widespread over large
areas. They are found not only in the Focsani Depression
but also farther to the east and south on the East European
and Moesian platforms. On the whole they are much less
deformed than the Badenian (Figures 6 9).
[32] The area with the highest thicknesses of Sarmatian
deposits is located in the western part of the Focsani
Depression where it forms a N-S trending basin, with
thicknesses >5 km in its northern part (Figure 4b). Sarmatian subsidence rates are here 1.3 km/Myr and decrease
toward the south to 0.6 km/Myr in the central part and to

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Figure 6. Interpreted seismic line from the northern foreland (for location, see Figure 1). A thrust fault
is clearly revealed in the eastern part of the line. Piggyback and flexural basins developed during
Badenian. The other structural features are mainly formed after Pontian. These faults are interpreted as
normal faults, but some negative flower structures could also be observed. We suggest that these negative
flower structures represent sinistral strike-slip faults associated with displacements along the major Trotus
fault, which had similar character according to Matenco [1997] and Matenco and Bertotti [2000]. The
Pliocene sedimentary sequence is folded. The vertical scale is two-way travel time.
0.5 km/Myr farther south (Figure 5). Toward the west, the
base of the basin becomes somewhat shallower possibly
indicating its termination in the vicinity of the map boundary.
[33] Sarmatian deposits up to several hundred meters
thick are found also outside the main depositional domains,
over most of the East European/Scythian platform
(Figure 4b) and only very gently thin eastward. Subsidence
rates vary from 0.35 to 0.13 km/Myr (North Dobrogea
promontory) (Figure 5). Sarmatian sediments are found also
in front of the Carpathians bend zone where they show
subsidence rates of around 0.3 km/Myr (Figure 5, curve 7)
and decrease toward the SE. To the south of Focsani
Depression, Sarmatian sediments are 1 1.2 km thick and
progressively thin southward (Figure 4b). The first Sarmatian reflectors onlap the erosional unconformity that marks
the end of the Badenian deposition (Figure 7). Also, note
that the Sarmatian sequence extends farther south than the
Badenian pinch-out limit.
[34] The middle to late Sarmatian basin fill is formed by
thick prograding bodies having transport direction from
north to south [Negulescu, 2001]. These prograding bodies
were not confined to the vicinity of the Carpathians thrust
front, but extended also over a much larger area to the east.
This progradation correlates with the onset of the exhumation of the Carpathians North of the Trotus fault (late
Badenian-early Sarmatian in age) [Sanders et al., 1999].
4.2.2. Active Structures
[35] The Sarmatian was a time of limited deformation in
the Focsani Depression and only few active structures have
been identified (Figure 4b). At a larger scale, tilting and
major subsidence was going on (Figure 9).
[36] In the northern part of the East European foreland
the major active structure during Sarmatian was the Trotus
fault (Figure 4b), which accommodated the subsidence of
the southern block. It is imaged as a negative flower
structure (Figure 10) with a sinistral sense of movement
[Matenco, 1997; Matenco and Bertotti, 2000]. No faulting

was recorded to the east of the Focsani Depression

(Figure 4b).
[37] To the south, NE-SW striking normal faults separated
by transfer zones are found mainly between the PeceneagaCamena shear zone (Figure 11) and the Ostrov-Sinoe fault
(Figure 4b) Tarapoanca et al., submitted manuscript, 2003).
The narrow NE-SW oriented basins are interpreted as pullapart related to a dextral movement along the two main
faults (Figure 4b). Other dextral faults with associated
flower structures are observed east of Peceneaga-Camena
shear zone (Figure 11). Neither the Peceneaga-Camena
shear zone nor these other faults can be followed along
their strikes to the north of south Focsani fault (Figure 4b).
Farther to the south of these basins some of the Badenian
structures were reactivated (Figures 4b and 8).
[38] In the southwestern part of studied area, dextral
movements took place along the Intramoesian fault
[Tarapoanca, 1996; Tarapoanca et al., submitted manuscript, 2003]. Transpression is recorded along its WNWESE trending segment whereas transtension occurred along
the NW-SE trending one. A SE trending reverse fault
formed near the Carpathians Bend, its western edge being
covered by the Carpathians structures (Figure 4b).
4.2.3. Basin Tectonics
[39] The Badenian/Sarmatian transition is a time of major
changes in the evolution of the Focsani Depression. The
geographic distribution of sediment thicknesses changed.
The main depocentral area became narrower and elongated
in N-S direction (Figure 4b). Sarmatian subsidence rates in
this central domain are slightly lower than the Badenian
ones. The area is also characterized by a decrease in
thicknesses toward the west, pointing to a synclinal shape
of the basin floor at that time.
[40] At the same time, the basin widened to the east and
sediments were deposited over previously stable areas even
hundred kilometers to the east of the Carpathian front. This
is the case, for instance, of the entire region north of the

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Figure 7. Interpreted seismic line across the westernmost Badenian fault-bounding basin from the
southern foreland (for location, see Figure 1). Note the inversion occurred during Badenian and the
erosional unconformity at the Sarmatian base (thicker black arrows denote on-lap terminations and black
bars denote erosional truncations). The dashed line within Meotian sequence represents a top lap surface
and the thicker arrows beneath it mean top lap stratal terminations (the same top lap surface correlates
with that from Figure 12). Conventions are as in Figure 6.
Trotus fault (e.g., Figure 9) and, farther to the south, the
region of the Intramoesian fault. In these areas, thickness
changes are very gradual (e.g., Figures 9 and 12) indicating
a very large-scale control on subsidence. Subsidence curves
outside the depocentral areas clearly describe this trend
showing a significant increase in the rate of creation of
accommodation space.
4.3. Meotian (10 8 Myr)
4.3.1. Thickness and Subsidence Patterns
[41] Meotian deposits (Figure 4c) are widespread over
the entire area of the Focsani Depression. Two depocenters are identified south of the Trotus fault (roughly
coinciding with the Sarmatian ones) and, farther to the

south, in front of the Carpathian bend zone. Thicknesses

reached 1.5 1.6 km (Figure 4c). Isopachs contouring
these depocenters trend roughly N-S. Meotian subsidence
rates in the Focsani Depression are around 0.6 km/Myr in
the northern part and 0.5 km/Myr in the central part
(Figure 5).
[42] Outside the main deposition centers, Meotian sediments are found over most of the investigated area with very
gently changing thicknesses. On the East European/Scythian
platform they are typically 0.7 0.9 km thick and reduce to
0 km southeastward. Subsidence rates are correspondingly
low, maximum being 0.1 km/Myr (Figure 5, curves 5 and 6).
Since some Meotian deposits were subsequently removed by
erosion the actual subsidence rate might have been slightly
higher.

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Figure 8. Interpreted seismic line across the Badenian basins from the southern foreland near the
southeastern edge of the extended region (for location, see Figure 1). Extensional basins are imaged in
this line with wedge-shaped sinrift Badenian deposits. In the southern basins the displacements along the
bounding faults continued until Sarmatian. A general northward tilting occurred after Pontian (note the
wedge shape of the post-Pontian sedimentary sequence). Conventions are as in Figure 6.
[43] Between the Focsani Depression and the North
Dobrogea promontory, the Meotian sedimentation rate is
around 0.27 km/Myr (curve 4 in Figure 5). Similar values of
few hundred meters per million years are derived for the
southern regions.
[44] The Sarmatian north to south progradation of the
sediments continued during the early Meotian over almost
the entire foreland south of the Focsani Depression and the
end of this sedimentation pattern is marked by an extensive
top lap surface (Figures 7 and 12). The western border of
the basin supplied by the north to south prograding sediments is represented by Intramoesian fault.
4.3.2. Active Structures
[45 ] Little localized deformation took place in the
Meotian mainly consisting in the reactivation of SW
dipping Badenian normal faults along the NE margin of
the Focsani Depression (Figures 4c and 6). Farther east, new
NW trending normal faults formed. Vertical offsets increase
toward the SE reaching few hundred meters. During the
same time span, the south Focsani fault acted as a transfer
fault. The Peceneaga-Camena and some of the associated
faults were reactivated either as strike-slip or normal
(Figures 4c and 8). In the southwestern part of studied area,
the Intramoesian fault experienced dextral strike-slip movements (Figure 4c) (see also Tarapoanca et al., submitted
manuscript, 2003) with a component of normal displacement increasing toward the north.
4.3.3. Basin Tectonics
[46] The Meotian subsidence pattern partly resembles the
one reconstructed for the Sarmatian. The main depocentral

area still forms a N-S elongated stripe in front of the already

structured Carpathian belt and is flanked to the east by a
wide domain with persistent sedimentation and fairly regular thicknesses (Figure 4c). Continuing the existing trend,
subsidence rates in the depocentral areas are lower than the
Sarmatian ones (curves 1 and 2 in Figure 5). In contrast, a
slight increase in subsidence rate is observed in the eastern
regions (curve 4 in Figure 5).
[47] The most obvious changes with respect to the
Sarmatian pattern are the cessation of subsidence north of
the Trotus Fault (Figure 9 and curve 5 in Figure 5) and the
development of an elevated area (slightly subsiding or even
stable) in the western sectors of the Focsani Depression
(Figure 4c). Similarly to the Sarmatian, Meotian sediments
are basically undeformed and the creation of accommodation
space is controlled by larger-scale tilting (e.g., Figure 6).
4.4. Pontian (8 5 Myr)
4.4.1. Thickness and Subsidence Patterns
[48] During the Pontian, the older depocenters immediately south of the Trotus fault and in front of the
Carpathian bend zone are abandoned and the maximum
accommodation space is created in the central part of the
investigated area, that is, in the central parts of the
Focsani Depression (Figure 4d) where thicknesses of
1.5 1.6 km are attained and isopachs are mainly directed
NW-SE. Sediments thicknesses decrease toward the
west. Pontian subsidence rate in the Focsani Depression
is around 0.4 0.45 km/Myr in the central domains

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Figure 9. Interpreted seismic line from the northern foreland (for location, see Figure 1). The Sarmatian
deposits have a wedge shape and dip to the west revealing a typical foredeep basin infill. The intervals
with wavy/hummocky configurations represent north to south prograding deltaic lobes. Small west
dipping faults formed during Sarmatian and are interpreted as a result of the flexure of the foreland due to
the Carpathians nappes loading. Conventions are as in Figure 6.

Figure 10. Interpreted seismic line across the Trotus fault (for location, see Figure 1). Trotus fault is
interpreted as a negative flower structure associated with sinistral strike-slip faulting. This sense of
displacement was inferred by Matenco [1997] and Matenco and Bertotti [2000] based mainly on
kinematic indicators from outcrops close to its prolongation in the East Carpathians belt. Note the
important vertical offset produced during Sarmatian. Young deformations (post-Pontian) can be noticed
as well. In the uplifted block several inverse faults produced during Badenian are observed and belong to
the same thrust system identified in Figure 6. Conventions are as in Figure 6.

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Figure 11. Interpreted seismic line across the boundary between the Moesian platform and North
Dobrogea promontory (for location, see Figure 1). The boundary is represented by Peceneaga-Camena
fault interpreted as a dextral shear zone. This sense of movement is inferred from the associated
ENE-WSW oriented basins, which are probably pull-apart in origin (Figure 4b) (also Tarapoanca et al.,
submitted manuscript, 2003). However, taking into account the dimension of these basins, the magnitude
of dextral displacement is probably small, in order of few kilometers. Very young displacements along
Peceneaga-Camena shear zone determined the listric normal fault system and associated structures above
it as well as the drop of the Moesian platform relative to North Dobrogea promontory and the rapid
westward thickening of the post-Pontian sedimentary sequence. To the western part of the line the
Pontian deposits show a gently thickening as well. Inside North Dobrogea promontory negative and
positive flower structures could be noticed and are interpreted as dextral strike-slip faults because they
trend parallel with Peceneaga-Camena fault (see Figures 4b and 4e). Conventions are as in Figure 6.

Figure 12. Interpreted seismic line from the southern foreland (for location, see Figure 1). In the
southern part of the line a flower structure can be noticed and is interpreted as a sinistral strike-slip
fault (note the occurrence of both normal and inverse offsets and the change in thickness revealed by the
pre-Tertiary reflectors). This sense of displacement is supposed since farther to the south, faults with the
same orientation and age were documented to be sinistral based on the offset of old Mesozoic rift
structures [Rabagia and Tarapoanca, 1999]. Very young reactivation of this structure could be observed
as normal or transtensional fault. Post-Pontian normal faults (planar and listric) are observed to the north.
The dashed black line within Meotian sedimentary sequence represents a top lap surface and the thicker
black arrows correspond to top lap stratal terminations implying a progradation from north to south (see
also Figure 7). A northward tilting started in Pontian and accentuated after Pontian (note the thickening of
these sedimentary sequences to the north). Conventions are as in Figure 6.

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(curve 1 in Figure 5) decreasing toward the north (curve 2

in Figure 5).
[49] Pontian sediments are missing north of the Trotus
fault. Thicknesses regularly decrease from the main depocentral area toward the east, toward the North Dobrogea
promontory and even the pinch out limit of the Pontian
deposits moved farther east than the Meotian one
(Figure 11). Subsidence rates in the area are in the order
of 0.1 0.2 km/Myr (curve 4 in Figure 5). In the southern
foreland, thicknesses decrease quite rapidly from the depocentral areas toward the south (Figures 7, 8, and 12) and
very few Pontian sediments are observed in the region of the
Intramoesian fault. Subsidence rates are again in the order
of 0.1 0.2 km/Myr (Figure 5, curves 3 and 7).
4.4.2. Active Structures
[50] The Pontian is the time span with the lowest tectonic
activity. Despite ongoing vertical movements no important
structures formed. Only few normal faults continued to be
active in the ESE part of the Focsani Depression (Figure 4d).
4.4.3. Basin Tectonics
[51] The Pontian is a time of significant changes in the
subsidence pattern of the Focsani Depression and marks the
transition to the presently active pattern of vertical movements. The main depocentral areas moved few tens of
kilometers to the SE with respect to the position they had
in Meotian times (Figure 4d). Consequently, (1) the neighborhood of the Trotus fault ends its subsidence and (2) the
Focsani Depression becomes clearly detached from the
Carpathians Belt, meaning that maximum foredeep subsidence occurs away from the orogenic load. Subsidence rates
in the subsiding areas continue to decrease with respect to
previous periods. At the same time, little sediments are
deposited in the southern reaches of the basin, especially
south of the Intramoesian fault. The elevated NNW-SSE
trending area in the western portion of the Focsani Depression continues to exist and Pontian sediments are very thin
to missing. This zone is parallel to the main depocenter but
slightly oblique with respect to the Carpathian trend.
4.5. Dacian-Quaternary (5 0 Myr)
4.5.1. Thickness and Subsidence Patterns
[52] The Dacian-Quaternary time interval is characterized
by very strong subsidence in the central sectors of the
Focsani Depression. Dacian-Quaternary deposits reach their
maximum thicknesses of almost 4.5 km in the middle
of Focsani Depression in a subcircular depocentral area
(Figure 4e). Outside this area, isopachs between 2500 and
1000 meters have a distinct linear trend NW-SE in the east
and NE-SW in the south. High subsidence rates up to
0.86 km/Myr are obtained for the central parts of the
Focsani Depression (curve 1 in Figure 5). The Dacian to
Quaternary depocenter is flanked to the west by an area of
reduced to absent sedimentation (Figure 4e).
[53] Moving away from the main depocenter, Dacian to
Quaternary sediments thin toward the north to 0 km near the
Trotus fault (Figure 4e). Subsidence rates are of few hundred
metres per million years (e.g., curve 2 in Figure 5). Toward
the east, coeval sediments are spread over the entire area up
to the Pecenaga-Camena Fault. They are 1 km thick on the

North Dobrogea promontory and around 2 km in the domain

between Intramoesian and Peceneaga-Camena faults
(Figures 4e and 11). Subsidence rates on the North Dobrogea
promontory are around 0.15 km/Myr (curve 4 in Figure 5).
The thickness pattern reveals the roughly uniform northwestward tilting of the southern foreland (Figures 4e, 7, 8, and 12).
To the SSE of Focsani Depression the thickness gently
reduces (Figure 4e). An abrupt decrease in thickness is
observed across the Intramoesian fault.
4.5.2. Active Structures
[54] Widespread faulting took place during Dacian to
Quaternary times compatible with the strong vertical movements recorded in the sedimentary succession. The NW-SE
trending system of normal faults at the NE of the Focsani
Depression was reactivated (Figures 4e and 6) in some cases
with negative flower structures associated with sinistral
strike-slip movements (Figures 4e and 6). Vertical offsets
decrease from NW to SE. Dacian to Quaternary folding
affects post-Sarmatian beds with intensities increasing to the
west (Figure 6). Sinistral movements occurred also along
the Trotus (Figures 4e and 10) and south Focsani faults
(Figure 4e).
[55] In the southern domains, the basin experienced
further northward tilting partly related to movements along
the Intramoesian and Peceneaga-Camena faults (Figures 4e
and 11). Both faults have a dextral transtensional component of movement. The strike-slip faults from the North
Dobrogea orogen underwent dextral reactivations as well
(Figure 11). In the south, new ENE-WSW trending normal
faults formed (e.g., Figure 12) and older faults with similar
trend were reactivated either as sinistral strike-slip faults or
as normal faults having in generally the northern block
uplifted (Figures 4e and 12).
4.5.3. Basin Tectonics
[56] The northern part of the Focsani Depression, which
had become strongly subsiding in the Pontian, keeps on
doing so also during Dacian to Quaternary times. More than
4000 m of sediments have been deposited in the area
associated with large wavelength vertical movements (e.g.,
Figure 11). Sedimentation rates increase in the central part
of Focsani Depression with respect to previous time frames
(Figure 5). Isopachs on the NE side of the basin have a
distinct NW-SE trend parallel to the major faults of the area.
In the internal side of the Focsani Depression, the uplifting
area which began to be defined in Pontian times develops
further and is associated with steepening and tilting of preDacian beds. At a larger scale this corresponds to the uplift
of Carpathians bend zone [Sanders et al., 1999]. In the
southern reaches of the investigated zone, subsidence
affected previously stable areas involving large domains
north of the Intramoesian fault.

5. Neogene Regional Evolution of the

Focsani Depression
[57] A complete understanding of the dynamics of basin
formation of the Focsani Depression can only be reached
integrating it in a regional frame. Consequently, the progressive development of the major structures from the

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Figure 13. Tectonic model for Neogene evolution of the Carpathians region and subsidence patterns
in Focsani Depression for four time spans: (a) Badenian, (b) Sarmatian, (c) Meotian-Pontian, and
(d) Dacian-Quaternary. The dark grey areas indicate occurrence of major subsidence in Focsani
Depression. The percentages refer to the subsidence rates relative to the their maximum value for each
time frame. The present-day isoline of + 500 m elevation is shown in background for each time frame.
AF, Adjud fault; IMF, Intramoesian fault; OSF, Ostrov-Sinoe fault; PCF, Peceneaga-Camena fault; SFF,
south Focsani fault; TF, Trotus fault. EC, East Carpathians; IB, Intramountain basins; GD, Getic
Depression; TB, Transylvanian basin.
Carpathians/foreland/Transylvanian basin is shown together
with the changes in the subsidence in the Focsani basin
(Figures 13a 13d).
5.1. Badenian (16.5 13 Myr)
[58] During Badenian times, thrusting took place in the
East Carpathians and inside the Getic Depression in the

frame of regional NE-SW contraction (Figure 13a). On the

basis of restored geological cross sections, the East Carpathians thrust front is inferred to have been at least 26 km
farther to the west than the present position before the final
displacement during Sarmatian [Matenco, 1997; Matenco
and Bertotti, 2000]. The northern part of the Carpathians
foreland, between the Trotus and the south Focsani faults
experienced NE-SW directed compression causing limited

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thrusting and sinistral shearing along the Adjud fault itself

(Figures 4a, 6, and 10) possibly as a far-field expression of
Carpathian convergence [e.g., Ziegler et al., 1998]. There is
no evidence of contraction south of the south Focsani fault
where NW-SE trending normal faults are found (Figure 4a).
They lie on the continuation of the similarly trending faults
running along the eastern margin of the Focsani Depression.
[59] In terms of vertical movements, the Badenian time
span was characterized by strong subsidence in the Transylvanian basin [e.g., Ciulavu et al., 2000] and the Focsani
Depression. A continuous NW-SE oriented subsiding area
is inferred connecting the two domains. This broad subsiding band was flanked by the stable areas of the East and
South Carpathians that began being uplifted at the end of
Badenian.
5.2. Sarmatian (13 10 Myr)
[60] Major contractional deformation occurred in the
middle Sarmatian in the East Carpathians when the
Subcarpathian nappe was thrust onto the foreland [e.g.,
Sandulescu, 1984, 1988] (Figure 13b). Shortening ended
in the middle Sarmatian north of the Trotus fault and in the
late Sarmatian between the Trotus and Intramoesian faults
[Matenco and Bertotti, 2000]. At the same time, dextral
shearing was taking place in front of the South Carpathians
and the Getic Depression was thrust over the Moesian
platform to the west of the Intramoesian fault [Matenco,
1997; Rabagia and Matenco, 1999]. Sarmatian sinistral
shearing and transpressional structures were found in Transylvanian basin while the subsidence was diminishing
[Ciulavu et al., 2000]. The southern foreland underwent
northwestward tilting and dextral movements along both
major faults: Intramoesian and Peceneaga-Camena.
[61] Sarmatian vertical movements are characterized by a
NW-SE oriented zone of subsidence ranging from the
Transylvanian basin to the Focsani Depression. In the
intervening Carpathians bend zone, basin floor subsidence
was compensated by shortening and thrusting. As a result,
little connection existed between the two marine basins. The
subsiding zone was flanked to the NE and SW by areas of
strong exhumation and uplift. Fission track data indicate
that the uplift of East Carpathians north to the Trotus fault
and of South Carpathians began to the end of Badenian and
continued during Sarmatian [Sanders et al., 1999].
5.3. Meotian-Pontian (10 5 Myr)
[62] At the end of the Sarmatian, the Carpathian belt was
already structured and no major movements occured during
Meotian-Pontian time span (Figure 13c). Inside the bend
zone of the orogenic wedge, NW-SE dextral shearing
and thrusting took place in response to the ongoing compression and the transpression exerted by the deformation
along Intramoesian fault (paleostress data of Hyppolite and
Sandulescu [1996] and Matenco and Bertotti [2000]). These
movements contribute in accommodating the northward
flexure of the southern foreland. Toward the end of the
Pontian, the ESE movement of the orogenic wedge from
the bend zone diminished. Inside the Getic Depression
dextral shearing and minor thrusting are recorded [Matenco,

1997; Rabagia and Matenco, 1999] which correlate with

movements along Intramoesian fault [Tarapoanca, 1996;
Tarapoanca et al., submitted manuscript, 2003]. To the inner
part of the East Carpathians, the opening of the intramontane basins began in Pontian [Ciulavu, 1999] behind
the southeast moving orogenic wedge. To the eastern part of
the southern foreland dextral reactivations of PeceneagaCamena and Ostrov-Sinoe faults were documented. The
eastern edge of the Focsani Depression experienced normal
faulting.
[63] Meotian to Pontian subsidence was mainly localized
in the Focsani Depression. Subsidence rates in Focsani
Depression were somewhat lower than the older ones.
Also, the Transylvanian basin still underwent subsidence
[Ciulavu et al., 2000]. The Carpathians bend zone started
being uplifted [Sanders et al., 1999] separating these two
basins previously part of the same subsiding area. Uplift
was not associated with major deformation. In the East and
South Carpathians only erosion took place [Sanders et al.,
1999].
5.4. Dacian-Quaternary (5 0 Myr)
[64] After the Pontian, the contractional deformations
resumed in the Bend area [e.g., Hyppolite and Sandulescu,
1996] (Figure 13d). The wedge-shaped orogenic block
confined between Intramoesian and Trotus faults moved
ESE. Behind the moving block, the opening of the intramontane basins continued [Ciulavu, 1999]. Contractional
deformations were documented in the eastern part of Getic
Depression [Matenco, 1997] and within the Transylvanian
basin [Ciulavu, 1999], where sedimentation ceased and
which was progressively uplifted. Downward movements
along Intramoesian and Peceneaga-Camena faults accommodated the roughly uniform tilting of the southern
foreland. Dextral displacements along these and other
strike-slip faults from North Dobrogea orogen have been
recorded. Very young ENE-WSW sinistral strike-slip faults
were reported on a large area of the Moesian platform
[Rabagia and Tarapoanca, 1999; Rabagia et al., 2000;
Tarapoanca et al., submitted manuscript, 2003] and they
could be considered as conjugates of the Intramoesian
and Peceneaga-Camena faults. The eastern margin of the
Focsani Depression underwent normal faulting and sinistral
shearing (Figures 4d and 6).
[65] During the Dacian-Quaternary time span the area of
maximum subsidence became almost circular and localized in
the central part of Focsani Depression. Here and to the south
of it, subsidence rates increased significantly (Figure 5). The
subsidence in Focsani Depression is coeval with the exhumation of the entire bend zone [Sanders et al., 1999].

6. Conclusions
[66] The SE Carpathians foreland and in particular the
Focsani Depression is characterized by a Tertiary polystage
evolution, being affected by extension, contraction, shearing
and tilting during various time periods. On the basis of a
large 2-D seismic survey and an extensive well database we
have constrained the 3-D architecture of the basin and the

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Neogene to Quaternary tectonic and subsidence evolution of

this area covering >20,000 km2. These events have been
integrated with deformations taking place at the larger
regional scale, providing the first step toward quantitative
modeling focused on basin formation processes and dynamics of the Carpathians Bend region.
[67] The present-day Focsani Depression is NW-SE oriented and is filled with 13 km thick Badenian-Quaternary
sediments. The overall shape and dimensions of the continuously subsiding domain have significant changes in space
and time.
[68] Subsidence started in Badenian. Subsidence rates
during this time span were 1.1 km/Myr in the center of
the present-day depression and increased westward, beneath
the present-day Carpathians structures. Toward the NW, the
subsiding area eventually connected with the equally subsiding Transylvania Basin. A local extensional regime is
inferred in the SE corner of the Focsani Depression,
documented by NW-SE to N-S trending normal faults.
Coeval thrusting takes place in the foreland of the East
Carpathians north of the Focsani basin and into the orogen
itself.
[69] Following an almost regional unconformity at the
Badenian/Sarmatian boundary, the Sarmatian depocenter
acquired a N-S orientation and started to move away from
the belt accompanied by important broadening of the
subsiding basin. Sarmatian subsidence was larger close to
the Carpathians and progressively diminished toward the
foreland, as a result of the overall tilting of the foreland
toward the belt due to thrust loading. Strong exhumation
was taking place laterally in the South and East Carpathians.

13 - 17

After Sarmatian times, subsidence ceased in the foreland of

the East Carpathians, taking place only south of the Trotus
fault.
[70] Subsidence decreased during Meotian to Pontian
times. Normal faulting along the eastern margin of the
Focsani Depression took place again, the tectonic activity
decreasing toward the end of this period.
[71] During Pliocene-Quaternary times, the subsidence
increased in the central part of Focsani Depression. Coeval
uplift and exhumation taking place on the neighboring
Carpathians bend zone has tilted the western flank of the
basin and reduced its areal size.
[72] The Tertiary tectonic evolution of the Focsani basin is
proving that in some cases foredeep subsidence does not
follow the thrust load timing succession and typical wedgetype geometry. Horizontal loads affecting prestructured
lithospheric and crustal blocks can significantly influence
vertical movements in these areas [e.g., Bertotti et al., 2003].

[73] Acknowledgments. The authors wish to thank SNP Petrom

Romania for providing the data used in this paper and SNP Petrom and
National Agency for Mineral Resources of Romania for granting the
permission to publish the data. The support provided by Bucharest
University and Amsterdam Vrije Universiteit is greatly acknowledged
and has been essential for the entire work. Prospectiuni S.A. is thanked,
especially O. Dicea and V. Rosu. The support provided by Schlumberger
Romania, I. Baleanu, and T. Rabagia is greatly appreciated. In addition,
M.T. wishes to thank I. Olteanu, V. Diaconescu, A. Rabagia, and
D. Teodorescu for discussions on the tectonic models and/or regional
geology. Daniel Ciulavu is thanked for many discussions prior writing this
paper and for providing useful suggestions during revision of the manuscript. An anonymous reviewer is also thanked for comments. This is NSG
publication 20031003.

References
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East Carpathians: Indications of phase transitions,
lithospheric failure and decoupled evolution of
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G. Bertotti and S. A. P. L. Cloetingh, Vrije

Universiteit, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, De
Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, Netherlands.
(bert@geo.vu.nl; cloeting@geo.vu.nl)
C. Dinu and L. Matenco, Bucharest University,
Faculty of Geology and Geophysics, 6 Traian Vuia str.,
sect. 1, 70139 Bucharest, Romania. (dinuc@gg.unibuc.
ro; matl@gg.unibuc.ro)
M. Tarapoanca, S.C. Prospectiuni S.A., 20 Coralilor
str., sect. 1, 78449 Bucharest, Romania. (mtarapoanca@
yahoo.com)

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Figure 3. Structural map of the base Tertiary. The reference datum is 100 m above sea level. AF, Adjud
fault; IMF, Intramoesian fault; OSF, Ostrov-Sinoe fault; PCF, Peceneaga-Camena fault; SFF, south
Focsani fault; TF, Trotus fault.

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Figure 4. (continued)

Figure 4. (opposite) Isopach maps for (a) Badenian, (b) Sarmatian, (c) Meotian, and (d) Pontian. No decompaction
correction is used. Note that the scale of color coding is different in Figures 4a 4d. (e) Top Pontian structural map. The
reference datum is 100 m above sea level. The map also represents an estimation of the thickness of Dacian-Quaternary
sequence. AF Adjud fault; IMF Intramoesian fault; OSF Ostrov-Sinoe fault; PCF Peceneaga-Camena fault; SFF south
Focsani fault; TF Trotus fault. For all maps, the highlighted structures are those active at the specified time interval (in
Figure 4e the faults have been active after Pontian).

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